The Utah House of Representatives resurrected a controversial stream access bill Wednesday afternoon in a close vote.

That means the House will likely vote again during the session on HB187, which would close some Utah rivers to recreation. House members voted down the measure on Tuesday.

"There is no timeline for it now," said Robin Thomas, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources legislative liaison. "But they probably want to get it through quickly so it would have time to work its way through the process in the Senate [should it pass the House.]"

The bill, which generated opposition from anglers and river enthusiasts, failed Tuesday by a vote of 41-34, but supporters were able to muster 40 votes Wednesday to bring the bill back for reconsideration after a motion by Rep. Jack Draxler, R-North Logan.

"There is cigar smoking in the back room going on," said Ted Wilson of the Utah Rivers Council, which has opposed the bill.

Wilson speculated that Draxler has been working to create rule making authority for the board that would be created by HB187 to consider which streams running across private property should be open to the public. In its current version, HB187 gives the board an advisory role, with lawmakers making the final call on individual stream access.

"We thought we had a victory," said Wilson. "If they should win, but with rule making authority on the commission, it would be a much better bill and would still be a bit of a win....It is not the perfect bill for us but one that is more acceptable."

But Rep. Ben Ferry, R-Corrine, the bill's sponsor, said no changes have been made to the bill.

"We are trying to work it out and trying to get people to understand it," he said. "We reconsidered the action with the hopes of trying to find some middle ground that will be workable for the body."

Ferry sponsored the measure in response to a 2008 Utah Supreme Court ruling that said all streambeds were open to the public, even those that crossed private property. Ferry said he is trying to balance the rights of property owners and recreationists.